It’s easy to see where Tadiwa Mahlunge gets his intense ambition from. He paints a vivid picture of his ‘stereotypical, single-minded African mum’, a lawyer whose efforts to depose Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe led to her family having to flee their homeland. She’s a woman so stoic that, despite dying twice during surgery, her immediate concern was to go straight back to work.

Having grown up in Wales, Mahlunge’s self-identity is rather discombobulated and, due to the way he speaks, his hairdressers call him ‘white boy’, a sobriquet he vehemently (and understandably) rejects. When, during sex, a date refers to him as a ‘safe’ Black man, his pride takes a stand to bring about an important, though obviously awkward confrontation.
When not performing comedy he’s a software engineer who enjoys the ‘problem solving’ nature of his work. But he absolutely detests having to deal with the numerous arseholes he encounters. He’s righteously incensed by some of the bullying he’s experienced, and the audience joins in his catharsis as he metes out some appropriate career-ending revenge. Despite being just 25 years old, Mahlunge is desperate to make it big in comedy (see, that ambition again), and he pays the Fringe short shrift on his quest to the top. He’s not quite there yet and this is a solid show without any stand-out moments. Mahlunge is an impressive talent who would benefit from slowing down to enjoy the journey.
Tadiwa Mahlunge: Inhibition Exhibition, Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 August, 9.25pm.